2024
Belousov, Anatolii; Ojell-Järventausta, Terho; Bujić, Mila; Macey, Joseph; Hamari, Juho
A Typology for Identifying Digitally-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Through Input Discrepancy Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 27th International Academic Mindtrek Conference, pp. 249-253, 2024, ISBN: 979-8-4007-1823-6.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Digital technology, Discrepancy, Typology
@inproceedings{nokey,
title = {A Typology for Identifying Digitally-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Through Input Discrepancy },
author = {Anatolii Belousov and Terho Ojell-Järventausta and Mila Bujić and Joseph Macey and Juho Hamari},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3681716.3689443},
doi = {10.1145/3681716.3689443},
isbn = {979-8-4007-1823-6},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-08},
urldate = {2024-10-08},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 27th International Academic Mindtrek Conference},
pages = {249-253},
abstract = {The development of digital technologies leads to new types of relationships between the digital world and human consciousness, increasingly inducing or influencing specific types of experiences, such as dreams, transcendental experiences, or derealisation. The varied devices used to induce these experiences, from brain-stimulating magnets to biofeedback-based VR headsets, constitute a new class of digital technologies. They are already starting to be utilised in various spheres of life from medicine to art. However, the full potential of technologies is only beginning to be revealed and implementations are somewhat limited; accordingly, researchers in the field must use alternative strategies when investigating the potential evolution of this phenomenon. Making use of speculative or fictional narratives is one productive approach. Finding relevant technologies within narratives has some challenges and requires a more specific criterion for defining this phenomenon. This work in progress suggests the conceptualization of altered states of consciousness (ASC) through the lens of the relationship between external input and processor as a practical strategy for identifying digitally-induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). It provides "discrepancy of input" as a flexible navigational criterion that will help include unknown technologies into the discussion about altered states of consciousness. The implementation of the criterion is demonstrated in specific examples of identification technologies from sci-fi worlds.},
keywords = {Digital technology, Discrepancy, Typology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The development of digital technologies leads to new types of relationships between the digital world and human consciousness, increasingly inducing or influencing specific types of experiences, such as dreams, transcendental experiences, or derealisation. The varied devices used to induce these experiences, from brain-stimulating magnets to biofeedback-based VR headsets, constitute a new class of digital technologies. They are already starting to be utilised in various spheres of life from medicine to art. However, the full potential of technologies is only beginning to be revealed and implementations are somewhat limited; accordingly, researchers in the field must use alternative strategies when investigating the potential evolution of this phenomenon. Making use of speculative or fictional narratives is one productive approach. Finding relevant technologies within narratives has some challenges and requires a more specific criterion for defining this phenomenon. This work in progress suggests the conceptualization of altered states of consciousness (ASC) through the lens of the relationship between external input and processor as a practical strategy for identifying digitally-induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). It provides "discrepancy of input" as a flexible navigational criterion that will help include unknown technologies into the discussion about altered states of consciousness. The implementation of the criterion is demonstrated in specific examples of identification technologies from sci-fi worlds.
Ojell-Järventausta, Terho; Belousov, Anatolii; Bujić, Mila; Macey, Joseph; Hamari, Juho
Digital Technologies and Human Consciousness : A Futures Workshop for Exploring Potential Implications Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 27th International Academic Mindtrek Conference, pp. 320 - 324, 2024, ISBN: 979-8-4007-1823-6.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Digital technology, Human data, Workshop
@inproceedings{nokey,
title = {Digital Technologies and Human Consciousness : A Futures Workshop for Exploring Potential Implications},
author = {Terho Ojell-Järventausta and Anatolii Belousov and Mila Bujić and Joseph Macey and Juho Hamari},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3681716.3681742},
doi = {10.1145/3681716.3681742},
isbn = {979-8-4007-1823-6},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-08},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 27th International Academic Mindtrek Conference},
pages = {320 - 324},
abstract = {Over the past decades, digital technologies have permeated many everyday tasks and practices, reshaping human behaviour and causing unintended consequences. The emergence of artificial intelligence, extended reality, brain-computer interfaces, and nanotechnology have increased the likelihood of a future in which the impact of digital technologies reaches an unprecedented degree by expanding human consciousness. As such, the societal implications of such developments require an urgent evaluation. In this workshop proposal, we suggest an approach based on the futures clinique method to identify drivers and obstacles of change and potential societal implications through different future scenarios of digitally induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). The workshop’s contributions comprise novel future scenarios that will aid in identifying potential benefits of DIAL and strategies for mitigating risks. It will provide a platform for exploring the implications of these emerging technologies through a novel perspective (DIAL) that is not currently prominent in the discourse but must be considered to mitigate unintended consequences.},
keywords = {Digital technology, Human data, Workshop},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Over the past decades, digital technologies have permeated many everyday tasks and practices, reshaping human behaviour and causing unintended consequences. The emergence of artificial intelligence, extended reality, brain-computer interfaces, and nanotechnology have increased the likelihood of a future in which the impact of digital technologies reaches an unprecedented degree by expanding human consciousness. As such, the societal implications of such developments require an urgent evaluation. In this workshop proposal, we suggest an approach based on the futures clinique method to identify drivers and obstacles of change and potential societal implications through different future scenarios of digitally induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). The workshop’s contributions comprise novel future scenarios that will aid in identifying potential benefits of DIAL and strategies for mitigating risks. It will provide a platform for exploring the implications of these emerging technologies through a novel perspective (DIAL) that is not currently prominent in the discourse but must be considered to mitigate unintended consequences.
Heljakka, Katriina
How Play Moves Us: Toys, Technologies, and Mobility in a Digital World PhD Thesis
2024, ISBN: 978-951-29-9610-0.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Digital technology, Digitalization, Domestication of technology, Playing, Toys
@phdthesis{nokey,
title = {How Play Moves Us: Toys, Technologies, and Mobility in a Digital World},
author = {Katriina Heljakka},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-9611-7},
isbn = {978-951-29-9610-0},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-03-02},
publisher = {University of Turku},
abstract = {The 21st century has been described as the Century of Play. The change in current play is particularly noticeable when looking at technological developments. This thesis deals with the technologization, digitalization, and connectedness of play between 2010–2020. The research explores forms of contemporary play, playthings, and players in a time when digitalization and connectedness have extended to various tools and realms of play—devices, toys, games, apps, and mediated playful environments.
At the heart of the research are playthings and technologies conceptualized here as play machines, players using these tools within their communities and contexts, and, due to technological change, play research that increasingly expands into digital and networked cultures. Interactive digital devices have made play ubiquitous, and this includes play activities related to toys, mobile technologies, digital cameras, smartphones, digital toys, social media, and social robotics.
The purpose of the thesis is to increase the understanding of what the rapid technologization of play, or what is conceptualized in the thesis as the digital leap of play, means in terms of mobilizing the players physically, cognitively, and emotionally. The thesis opens up prospects for technology-enriched play by presenting a range of empirical studies interested in the mobilization tendencies of current digital devices, toys, and connected media cultures that inform and inspire contemporary play and players of different ages as a form of digital culture that unites players and generations.
The assumption is that digital technology connected to modern play experiences can move players in physical, cognitive, and emotional terms. Through six qualitative case studies, the thesis proposes to answer the central question: “How has play moved human players of the Western world in 2010–2020 in terms of physical, cognitive, and emotional mobility/movement?” The sub-question inquires what kinds of digital play are encountered in interactions of people of different ages as part of technologically enhanced leisure, learning, and environments where play is increasingly happening with and through machines and social media platforms by asking: “How are the acts of play realized in each instance of digital play through technology use, and what are the functions of the play for the players in each study?”
The thesis seeks to understand the nature and various aspects of the digital transformation of play and balance the prevailing negative assumptions with more positive and optimistic views on the effect of technology-oriented play on the lives of players of different ages.
The scholarly contribution of the thesis is to generate new play knowledge: The publications included in the thesis highlight various play patterns and practices among children of preschool age, adults, and seniors who engage in digital play through the use of digital devices or digital toys, either solitarily or socially, as part of
intergenerational play.
The findings of the thesis illustrate how changes in the ecosystem of play (primarily made possible by developing mobile technology and social media) are linked to the opportunities for players to engage in creative play activities, their documentation, and their social sharing. The connections of evolving digital technology (for example, digital toys, social media networking, and social robotics) to play are diverse; mobile devices with and without screens are used as an extension of play to enrich the experiences and outcomes of play and to empower the players by allowing them to showcase their imagination, creativity, and ability to connect with peers and other player communities.
The thesis concludes that contemporary technology embodied in digital devices and Internet-connected playthings as the play machines of 2010–2020 allows for the expansion of play into human and toy interactions that non-technological playthings would not support. Technological development thus expands the historical, digital-material, and narrative dimensions of play. Social, technology-supported play triggers cultural processes that also support intergenerational interaction in play. Consequently, this thesis suggests that 1) digital technology is a driver for societal changes that affect play, 2) digital technology is a mobilizer of players in a physical, cognitive, emotional, and social sense, and 3) digital technology is an enabling, empowering, and enriching resource for contemporary digital play.},
keywords = {Digital technology, Digitalization, Domestication of technology, Playing, Toys},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
The 21st century has been described as the Century of Play. The change in current play is particularly noticeable when looking at technological developments. This thesis deals with the technologization, digitalization, and connectedness of play between 2010–2020. The research explores forms of contemporary play, playthings, and players in a time when digitalization and connectedness have extended to various tools and realms of play—devices, toys, games, apps, and mediated playful environments.
At the heart of the research are playthings and technologies conceptualized here as play machines, players using these tools within their communities and contexts, and, due to technological change, play research that increasingly expands into digital and networked cultures. Interactive digital devices have made play ubiquitous, and this includes play activities related to toys, mobile technologies, digital cameras, smartphones, digital toys, social media, and social robotics.
The purpose of the thesis is to increase the understanding of what the rapid technologization of play, or what is conceptualized in the thesis as the digital leap of play, means in terms of mobilizing the players physically, cognitively, and emotionally. The thesis opens up prospects for technology-enriched play by presenting a range of empirical studies interested in the mobilization tendencies of current digital devices, toys, and connected media cultures that inform and inspire contemporary play and players of different ages as a form of digital culture that unites players and generations.
The assumption is that digital technology connected to modern play experiences can move players in physical, cognitive, and emotional terms. Through six qualitative case studies, the thesis proposes to answer the central question: “How has play moved human players of the Western world in 2010–2020 in terms of physical, cognitive, and emotional mobility/movement?” The sub-question inquires what kinds of digital play are encountered in interactions of people of different ages as part of technologically enhanced leisure, learning, and environments where play is increasingly happening with and through machines and social media platforms by asking: “How are the acts of play realized in each instance of digital play through technology use, and what are the functions of the play for the players in each study?”
The thesis seeks to understand the nature and various aspects of the digital transformation of play and balance the prevailing negative assumptions with more positive and optimistic views on the effect of technology-oriented play on the lives of players of different ages.
The scholarly contribution of the thesis is to generate new play knowledge: The publications included in the thesis highlight various play patterns and practices among children of preschool age, adults, and seniors who engage in digital play through the use of digital devices or digital toys, either solitarily or socially, as part of
intergenerational play.
The findings of the thesis illustrate how changes in the ecosystem of play (primarily made possible by developing mobile technology and social media) are linked to the opportunities for players to engage in creative play activities, their documentation, and their social sharing. The connections of evolving digital technology (for example, digital toys, social media networking, and social robotics) to play are diverse; mobile devices with and without screens are used as an extension of play to enrich the experiences and outcomes of play and to empower the players by allowing them to showcase their imagination, creativity, and ability to connect with peers and other player communities.
The thesis concludes that contemporary technology embodied in digital devices and Internet-connected playthings as the play machines of 2010–2020 allows for the expansion of play into human and toy interactions that non-technological playthings would not support. Technological development thus expands the historical, digital-material, and narrative dimensions of play. Social, technology-supported play triggers cultural processes that also support intergenerational interaction in play. Consequently, this thesis suggests that 1) digital technology is a driver for societal changes that affect play, 2) digital technology is a mobilizer of players in a physical, cognitive, emotional, and social sense, and 3) digital technology is an enabling, empowering, and enriching resource for contemporary digital play.
At the heart of the research are playthings and technologies conceptualized here as play machines, players using these tools within their communities and contexts, and, due to technological change, play research that increasingly expands into digital and networked cultures. Interactive digital devices have made play ubiquitous, and this includes play activities related to toys, mobile technologies, digital cameras, smartphones, digital toys, social media, and social robotics.
The purpose of the thesis is to increase the understanding of what the rapid technologization of play, or what is conceptualized in the thesis as the digital leap of play, means in terms of mobilizing the players physically, cognitively, and emotionally. The thesis opens up prospects for technology-enriched play by presenting a range of empirical studies interested in the mobilization tendencies of current digital devices, toys, and connected media cultures that inform and inspire contemporary play and players of different ages as a form of digital culture that unites players and generations.
The assumption is that digital technology connected to modern play experiences can move players in physical, cognitive, and emotional terms. Through six qualitative case studies, the thesis proposes to answer the central question: “How has play moved human players of the Western world in 2010–2020 in terms of physical, cognitive, and emotional mobility/movement?” The sub-question inquires what kinds of digital play are encountered in interactions of people of different ages as part of technologically enhanced leisure, learning, and environments where play is increasingly happening with and through machines and social media platforms by asking: “How are the acts of play realized in each instance of digital play through technology use, and what are the functions of the play for the players in each study?”
The thesis seeks to understand the nature and various aspects of the digital transformation of play and balance the prevailing negative assumptions with more positive and optimistic views on the effect of technology-oriented play on the lives of players of different ages.
The scholarly contribution of the thesis is to generate new play knowledge: The publications included in the thesis highlight various play patterns and practices among children of preschool age, adults, and seniors who engage in digital play through the use of digital devices or digital toys, either solitarily or socially, as part of
intergenerational play.
The findings of the thesis illustrate how changes in the ecosystem of play (primarily made possible by developing mobile technology and social media) are linked to the opportunities for players to engage in creative play activities, their documentation, and their social sharing. The connections of evolving digital technology (for example, digital toys, social media networking, and social robotics) to play are diverse; mobile devices with and without screens are used as an extension of play to enrich the experiences and outcomes of play and to empower the players by allowing them to showcase their imagination, creativity, and ability to connect with peers and other player communities.
The thesis concludes that contemporary technology embodied in digital devices and Internet-connected playthings as the play machines of 2010–2020 allows for the expansion of play into human and toy interactions that non-technological playthings would not support. Technological development thus expands the historical, digital-material, and narrative dimensions of play. Social, technology-supported play triggers cultural processes that also support intergenerational interaction in play. Consequently, this thesis suggests that 1) digital technology is a driver for societal changes that affect play, 2) digital technology is a mobilizer of players in a physical, cognitive, emotional, and social sense, and 3) digital technology is an enabling, empowering, and enriching resource for contemporary digital play.
2021
Arjoranta, Jonne; Koskimaa, Raine; Siitonen, Marko
Immersive Gaming as Journalism Book Section
In: Uskali, Turo; Gynnhild, Astrid; Jones, Sarah; Sirkkunen, Esa (Ed.): Immersive Journalism as Storytelling: Ethics, Production, and Design, pp. 136-147, Routledge, 2021, ISBN: 978-1-138-33764-0.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality, Digital games, Digital technology, Gamification, Immersiivinen journalismi, Immersion, Immersive gaming, Immersive technology, Journalism, Osallistaminen, Virtual reality
@incollection{Arjoranta2021,
title = {Immersive Gaming as Journalism},
author = {Jonne Arjoranta and Raine Koskimaa and Marko Siitonen},
editor = {Turo Uskali and Astrid Gynnhild and Sarah Jones and Esa Sirkkunen},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202005043035},
doi = {10.4324/9780429437748-15},
isbn = {978-1-138-33764-0},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-13},
booktitle = {Immersive Journalism as Storytelling: Ethics, Production, and Design},
pages = {136-147},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {As a field, journalism constantly strives to connect with its audiences and find ways to utilize emerging media technologies in its operations. Sometimes this is done simply to reach audiences that have ceased to use traditional media, or to invite new audiences in, but often it is also a matter of perceived benefits related to using the affordances of certain technological solutions. One recent example is the interest surrounding the concept of immersion. For example, recent research has explored the question of whether there is a connection between the immersiveness of a technology and the users’ empathetic responses (Archer & Finger 2018; Herrera et al. 2018). While some of these explorations are done specifically within the context of journalism, there is a considerable amount of overlap between different fields of interest, warranting a broader look at how the concept of immersion has been theorized.
},
keywords = {Augmented reality, Digital games, Digital technology, Gamification, Immersiivinen journalismi, Immersion, Immersive gaming, Immersive technology, Journalism, Osallistaminen, Virtual reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
As a field, journalism constantly strives to connect with its audiences and find ways to utilize emerging media technologies in its operations. Sometimes this is done simply to reach audiences that have ceased to use traditional media, or to invite new audiences in, but often it is also a matter of perceived benefits related to using the affordances of certain technological solutions. One recent example is the interest surrounding the concept of immersion. For example, recent research has explored the question of whether there is a connection between the immersiveness of a technology and the users’ empathetic responses (Archer & Finger 2018; Herrera et al. 2018). While some of these explorations are done specifically within the context of journalism, there is a considerable amount of overlap between different fields of interest, warranting a broader look at how the concept of immersion has been theorized.
2019
Harrer, Sabine
Radical Jamming: Sketching Radical Design Principles for Game Creation Workshops Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Game Jams, Hackathons and Game Creation Events 2019, pp. 1-5, ACM, 2019, ISSN: 2153-1633.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Digital technology, Facilitation, Game design, Hegemony, Radical design
@inproceedings{Harrer2019b,
title = {Radical Jamming: Sketching Radical Design Principles for Game Creation Workshops},
author = {Sabine Harrer},
doi = {10.1145/3316287.3316297},
issn = {2153-1633},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-03-17},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on Game Jams, Hackathons and Game Creation Events 2019},
pages = {1-5},
publisher = {ACM},
abstract = {This article is based on two observations about game production culture, first that there is a demographic mismatch between those who make games and those who play them [1], and secondly that through their organization, setting, and constraints, game jams and other creation events can encourage radical game design principles, values beyond the common practice [3]. This study discusses how facilitators might introduce radical game design values in their events, using thematic, technological, and expressive strategies. Adopting a reflective design lens [2] it critically reviews the design of a game creation workshop for technology novices. It thus reflects on how event organizers can practice their role as cultural intermediaries [10] to support the development of game expressions beyond the norm.},
keywords = {Digital technology, Facilitation, Game design, Hegemony, Radical design},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This article is based on two observations about game production culture, first that there is a demographic mismatch between those who make games and those who play them [1], and secondly that through their organization, setting, and constraints, game jams and other creation events can encourage radical game design principles, values beyond the common practice [3]. This study discusses how facilitators might introduce radical game design values in their events, using thematic, technological, and expressive strategies. Adopting a reflective design lens [2] it critically reviews the design of a game creation workshop for technology novices. It thus reflects on how event organizers can practice their role as cultural intermediaries [10] to support the development of game expressions beyond the norm.